Rotator Cuff Problems

[ExtraMile]

For two weeks now Iv been doing dips twice a week. Just bodyweight dips and Iv been getting 5-8 reps. Iv also been going pretty deep, deep enough to feel a bit of a stretch in the chest. After workouts by shoulders just had like a dull ache to them and I thought it was just because I had flat bb, dips and sometimes incline bb in the same day.

Not the friday thats just been but the friday the week before that my shoulders were particularly sore and I noticed it wasnt actually the deltoid that was sore, it was deeper. I used to do rotator cuff work and could feel the rotator cuff working and its right in there on the rotator cuff in my right shoulder thats sore. It is fine just in everyday life but as soon as I put pressure on my arms with them behind my back like in dips it really hurts, last friday I tryed some dips and they were real painful.


Is there anyway to tell how serious this is and how long it will take to get better? And is the best bet just to stay away from the dips and anything else that hurts it until it gets better?

EDIT: and to add to that, Iv was doing seated db wrist curls for a while, most days and after a week (i probably did them 5 times in that week) my wrists were sore as hell, the outside part just hurts now when I try and do them, not the tenndons the actual wrist. Any suggestions?

 

[djeclipse]

Patient: Doctor, it hurts when I do "this"...

Doctor: Well don't do "that".

If it hurts don't do it, simple as that.

Dips put a lot of strain on the shoulders, especially if you go deep.

They aren't a core lift so there is no "necessity" to do them, they are just "fluff" like doing bies and trie isolation.

Stop doing them now before the damage gets worse.

 

[ExtraMile]

Patient: Doctor, it hurts when I do "this"...

Doctor: Well don't do "that".

If it hurts don't do it, simple as that.

Dips put a lot of strain on the shoulders, especially if you go deep.

They aren't a core lift so there is no "necessity" to do them, they are just "fluff" like doing bies and trie isolation.

Stop doing them now before the damage gets worse.

Yeah your right I will stop doing them. And although dips may not be one of the "5 core lifts" - deads, squats, bench, military & bb rows they are still a compound in which you can go pretty heavy, I can dip more than I can flat bench and so they are a heavy mass builder and strength builder I find, I also really enjoy them. I guess when it gets better Ill just not go as deep.

Do rotator cuff things last a long time or do you think Ill be ok in a few days? Or cant you tell? Same with the wrists, its not a sore muscle its a sore joint, do these tend to stay sore for a long time?

Also, any rehab things I can do for the shoulders and wrists?

 

[fortunatesun]

I thought you read everything posted in this forum

http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/weight-training-weight-lifting/possibly-best-upper-body-warm-up-ever-630883.html

http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/weight-training-weight-lifting/awesome-shoulder-warm-up-646715.html

At one time I had nagging problems in both shoulders and arms. Stretching 3x a week has 98% solved the problem.

In the meantime, stay away from heavy shrugs, upright rows, pec dec, flies, forward and lateral raises.

Replace crunches or sit ups with planks: EliteFTS - Superior Products and Knowledge for Lifters, Athletes, Coaches, and Trainers
These engage torso and scapular muscles simultaneously, preventing added stress. They will also help with torso stability which can be a cause of shoulder pain.

The other thing I can think of is maybe you're doing too much pressing and not enough pulling. Overloading one or the other can cause problems.

 

[ExtraMile]

I thought you read everything posted in this forum

http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/weight-training-weight-lifting/possibly-best-upper-body-warm-up-ever-630883.html

http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/weight-training-weight-lifting/awesome-shoulder-warm-up-646715.html

At one time I had nagging problems in both shoulders and arms. Stretching 3x a week has 98% solved the problem.

In the meantime, stay away from heavy shrugs, upright rows, pec dec, flies, forward and lateral raises.

Replace crunches or sit ups with planks: EliteFTS - Superior Products and Knowledge for Lifters, Athletes, Coaches, and Trainers
These engage torso and scapular muscles simultaneously, preventing added stress. They will also help with torso stability which can be a cause of shoulder pain.

The other thing I can think of is maybe you're doing too much pressing and not enough pulling. Overloading one or the other can cause problems.

Ah good idea bro, I forgot about those warmup and rehab threads from SL.

Damn I hate planks lol.

Hmm about the pulling/pushing... heres what I do:

Mondat -
ATG Squats 5x5 - building up to last set being heaviest
Clean Grip High Pull 5x5
Flat BB 3x5, 2x3, 1x8 - 3x5 are more like warmups, then two triples with the second one heaviest. Set of 8 dont with no hip drive and medium grip.
Chins 4xfail
Incline db 2x20

Wednesday -
Incline BB 4x8 with medium grip
ATG Squats 4x4 - light day
Deadlift 4x5 ramping up the weight
DB pullover 2x20
Deep Dips 4x8 weighted when I can
BB Strict Military 4x8 ramping up

Friday -
ATG Squat 3x5, 2x3, 1x8 - 3x5 is warmups again, like with flat bb
Flat BB 5x5, 1x8
DB Shrugs 5x5 - full ROM and squeeze
DB pullover 2x20
Chins 4xfail
Deep Dips 3xfail

In total thats 26 sets of pulling and 29 sets of pushing I would say thats pretty balanced, wouldnt you?

Ill check the warmup and rehab threads now

 

[djeclipse]

Ah good idea bro, I forgot about those warmup and rehab threads from SL.

Damn I hate planks lol.

Hmm about the pulling/pushing... heres what I do:

Mondat -
ATG Squats 5x5 - building up to last set being heaviest
Clean Grip High Pull 5x5
Flat BB 3x5, 2x3, 1x8 - 3x5 are more like warmups, then two triples with the second one heaviest. Set of 8 dont with no hip drive and medium grip.
Chins 4xfail
Incline db 2x20

Wednesday -
Incline BB 4x8 with medium grip
ATG Squats 4x4 - light day
Deadlift 4x5 ramping up the weight
DB pullover 2x20
Deep Dips 4x8 weighted when I can
BB Strict Military 4x8 ramping up

Friday -
ATG Squat 3x5, 2x3, 1x8 - 3x5 is warmups again, like with flat bb
Flat BB 5x5, 1x8
DB Shrugs 5x5 - full ROM and squeeze
DB pullover 2x20
Chins 4xfail
Deep Dips 3xfail

In total thats 26 sets of pulling and 29 sets of pushing I would say thats pretty balanced, wouldnt you?

Ill check the warmup and rehab threads now

I thought you were doing the 5 x 5?

 

[ExtraMile]

I thought you were doing the 5 x 5?

that is the original bill star 5x5

 

[OneBreath]

I'd do the stretching and stay away from that dip bar and the DB shrugs for a few weeks. Also you aren't involuntarily upright rowing those high pulls are you?

A good replacement for dips is dumbell tricep kickbacks. Just make sure you use the smaller pink dumbells.

JK!!! Try decline db rolling extensions. Like this but on a decline bench. I find that this makes my shoulders feel good for some reason.

 

[dabuffguy]

I can't do dips. They tear my shoulders apart.

 

[djeclipse]

that is the original bill star 5x5

Where did you get that from "the original Bill star"? I haven;t seen anything like that with that many lifts from bill star. Military press and incline bench on wed? Drop the Incline bench on Wed and chins on monday, you don't need all that.

Anyway, for now loose the dips and the DB pullover until your rotator cuff gets better, or other movement that you feel it hurting. The most important thing is the recovery and not straining it any farther. Once it is better you can slowly ad them back in, light weight to start.

 

[ExtraMile]

I'd do the stretching and stay away from that dip bar and the DB shrugs for a few weeks. Also you aren't involuntarily upright rowing those high pulls are you?

A good replacement for dips is dumbell tricep kickbacks. Just make sure you use the smaller pink dumbells.

JK!!! Try decline db rolling extensions. Like this but on a decline bench. I find that this makes my shoulders feel good for some reason.

Ah rolling db extensions Iv seen those before, Ill do them instead.


buffguy - thanks alot that really helps lol. one of my favourite exercises too

dj - well KoRiN gave it me, he said it was the original bill star, exept it was meant to be good mornings instead of deads and no military, I made those changes and I havnt even done the military yet, I only do it if I have time at the end.

So most people just say stay away from the uncomfortable exercises until it gets better. Will do and Ill start doing rotator cuff work again, thanks.